


We Can Dance If We Want To (We've Got All Your Life and Mine)

by CaroltheQueen (always_1895)



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alcohol, Dancing, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Happy, Lincoln Lives, Mild Language, Music, Party-Fic, Romance, and everyone is happy for one night, sort of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-09
Updated: 2016-07-13
Packaged: 2018-07-22 15:06:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7443778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/always_1895/pseuds/CaroltheQueen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“People need something to feel good about, have fun. Even if it's just for one night.” </p><p>“And you think a <i>party<i> is the way to go?” Kane asked. He sounded an odd mix of dubious yet encouraging. Raven could imagine him currently arguing with himself, like 'Chancellor Kane' vs 'Nice-Guy Marcus.'</i></i></p><p> </p><p>  <i><br/>    <i>OR</i><br/>  </i></p><p> </p><p>  <i><br/>    <i>The one where nothing really happens, but everyone gets drunk and dance and sing. Set post-season 3.</i><br/>  </i></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Raven

Raven was holding her ground. She wouldn't give an inch. Jasper and Monty flanked her on both sides. They were ready to go down swinging, if that's what it took.

“Seriously?” One of their opponents raised an eyebrow.

“Raven...” The other began in a slightly resigned, worried tone.

“Look,” Raven regarded Abby and Kane stood in front of her. Abby looked concerned about the whole idea, Kane looked... Well, Kane actually looked _intrigued._ “This was a formality, you know. We're totally going to do it anyway.”

“Yup!” Jasper piped up behind her.

“People need something to feel good about, have fun. Even if it's just for one night.” Monty stood slightly behind herself and Jasper. As if he thought if the Chancellors started shouting he had better chances of escape.

“And you think a _party_ is the way to go?” Kane asked. He sounded an odd mix of dubious yet encouraging. Raven could imagine him currently arguing with himself, like 'Chancellor Kane' vs 'Nice-Guy Marcus.'

“Everything down here has been one shitstorm after another. Abby, Clarke's totally for this.” That was a lie, she hadn't run the idea by Clarke yet. But Raven would tell Nate, and the two of them could convince Bellamy, who in turn would have no problem convincing Clarke. Since the ALIE thing, they lived in each other's pockets now. Anyway, she'd said the magic words. If Clarke thought it would be fun, her mother would be loathe stand in the way of that. After everything.

Raven watched as Abby looked up to Kane and was kind of mesmerised by the short silent conversation that took place. Kane's eyes flicked to the bandages on his wrists, so quickly most would've never caught it. But Abby did because she was Abby, and Raven did because she was staring intently. Kane had a small frown on his face, then minutely shook his head, as if to clear it. 

Then he smiled at Abby, eyebrows raised (though she would deny it, the phrase _excited puppy_ rolled around Raven's head, as she was sure it did Abby's) and she rolled her eyes, suppressing her own smile then, as she looked at Kane adoringly. Ugh, they were disgusting.

“Since you've all given this one here the title of 'honourary dad'- don't even deny it Jasper -” Abby sighed, as though it were a real inconvenience, “you've got him wrapped him round your little finger.”

“I'd like to go on record and say that I've never ever called him that, by the way.” Monty interjected.

“What about mom? What does mom say?” Raven felt herself grinning excitedly at Abby.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jasper swoop in close and whispered in her ear, “You realise calling them that after that time we walked in on them -”

“Sssh!”

“I'm a traumatised child.”

“Ok!” This was Kane's 'I've made a decision' voice, “Let's do it.”

Raven felt a little jolt of excitement go through her, like butterflies in her stomach. Jasper knocked his shoulder to hers and grinned, whilst Monty fist pumped the air. “ _But,_ ” Kane continued. Ugh, Raven knew it was too good to be true. “There will be a limit of two drinks, per person,” There was a simultaneous groan, “Don't give me that, I know how strong your stuff is, Monty.” When Raven looked over, Monty looked torn between feigning contriteness and grinning in pride. “Volume and light control. No inciting other clans to start a fight over the noise we're making.”

“Or accidentally giving anyone a seizure with the lighting.” Abby put in. 

“Can absolutely, personally guarantee those last two,” Raven said, “As for the alcohol thing, I'm not sure how you're expecting to control-”

“By expecting people to follow the rules.” Kane broke in.

“Alternatively, no alcohol at all.” Abby said.

Raven's buzz was killed, just a little. Man, they were getting good at tag teaming. But as she looked at the boys next to her, Monty gave her wink. He'd figure something out. Raven tried not to grin too widely.

“You got it.”

Jasper “saluted”, “Yes, sirs.”

Their Chancellor's departed and the trio shared high fives, grinning in excitement. They started to walk outside intent on spreading the word and how figure out job detail.

“So guys,” Monty said, “I've been considering an important philosophical question.” Raven and Jasper stopped in their tracks out of sheer confusion.”

“Huh?” “What?” They spoke over each other.

Monty grinned, “If you have one glass of moonshine that is never finished, because it just gets continually topped up, does it still count as one glass of moonshine?”


	2. Lincoln

“Octavia, Grounders have parties. We do.”

“No, I know that, I do. You said you celebrate the solstices, and people's _hapotei_ -”

“Yes.” 

“It's just that, well, I don't think this will be like that.”

Lincoln frowned, exactly what did Skaikru _do_ at their parties? He and Octavia were steadying the makeshift lighting rig that Raven and Jasper had put together with scrap metal, and were now trying to precariously elevate it over the “dance floor”. Those two had left it in their capable hands (their words), before disappearing debating the issue of music and “speakers”. Lincoln had asked Octavia about speakers, and that was how they'd arrived here.

“The music will just be different, babe, that's all. It'll be more...” He could see she was struggling for words. He had no doubt she was right. The music he was accustomed to were instruments of his clan: drums and horns, sometimes pipes and whistles. _Maybe_ a guitar if they were lucky. Speakers, she'd explained, would make the music louder, that the music would all be digital anyway. Lincoln had a vague conception of what digital meant, “tech” his people called it, though he had very little experience of it until the Sky people fell to Earth.

Octavia took him to Jasper, who was tinkering with what she told him was a “sound system.”

“All the music is stored in things like this.” She held up a vaguely familiar item, Jasper's iPod that had belonged to his friend in Mount Weather. Recording was a foreign concept to Lincoln, the idea of reducing the scale and beauty of music, intangible, complex music, into data in a computer. It reminded him a little too much of the chaos wrought by ALIE and the City of Light. He'd seen records, relics of the Earth of old, flat, circular things that some said had once produced music, but Lincoln had never heard one himself.

Jasper popped up from behind the “deck”, as Octavia called it. There was a data screen, ports and switches and... _dials_ , Lincoln guessed. Learning the ways and terms of Skaikru tech was a similar experience to teaching Kane Trigedasleng: it was slow going, but he was getting there. 

Jasper's goggles were back, it made Lincoln, and Octavia, he noticed, smile.

“And what can I do for Arkadia's very own Romeo and Juliet this afternoon?”

Octavia rolled her eyes, “We'll be doing less of the dramatic dying, I hope.”

“Oh, yeah... Crap, yeah we don't want that.”

Lost to the exchange, Lincoln quietly cleared his throat.

“Oh, right.” Octavia grinned. If Lincoln had his way, she would never stop smiling like that, excited and carefree, “Play something for Lincoln, he's not used to music.”

“Not used to _your_ music.” Lincoln defended. 

“We don't want too much culture shock all at once. I wanted to ease him in.” Octavia sent him an amused yet fond smirk that Lincoln found slightly condescending, even as he couldn't help but smile back.

“You're making me feel like a _yongon_ ,” He grumbled. Octavia giggled and Jasper raised an eyebrow before focusing on the screen in front of him, searching.

“Word has it there's a _super secret_ stash of extra moonshine.” Octavia mock whispered to Jasper, in a way that suggested it really wasn't all that secret, and that perhaps the adults were taking a plausible deniability stance on the whole thing by turning a blind eye. “Raven and I were betting on whether, between you and Monty, with the music and the alcohol, you could get the Chancellors to slow dance and make out on the dance floor.”

“Okay, first of all: ew, why? Secondly, what did Raven say?”

“She said not a chance. But I got faith in my boys.”

Jasper first bowed his head in deference to Octavia, then: “Oh, Reyes is going down.”

“She's totally up for plying Abby with alcohol, though. She said the opportunity to see drunk Abby was too good to pass up.” There was a brief pause in which Lincoln had no doubt all three of them were considering what that might look like. Then Octavia continued, “She also said that instead of sucking face in front of everyone, it's more likely Kane will cut her off and carry her to bed to sleep it off.”

“ _Sleep it off_ , huh?” Jasper waggled his eyebrows, Lincoln sighed and Octavia giggled again.

“Do you all have nothing better to do than pry into Kane and Abby's private business?”

“Dude,” Jasper regarded him seriously, “Our priority today is throwing a party. Throw in a bit of juvenile matchmaking and it's like we're normal teenagers, at least for a little while.”

Lincoln had to give him that. His own teenage years may not have exactly been like the “rights of passage” Octavia and her friends liked to talk about, but Grounder children had their own traditions, their own “normal.” His friends from Skaikru deserved this.

“They don't require your matchmaking, they're already together.” He felt the need to point out.

“But they're so damn _proper_ in public.” Octavia sighed. Lincoln gave up, he would never understand their simultaneous disgust and fascination with seeing their leaders kiss. “So we doing this or what?” Octavia asked suddenly, hands on hips, impatient.

“Yeah, yeah, okay, got it.” Jasper fiddled with a couple of dials and peered at the screen.

“Something from your playlist for tonight.”

Jasper mock gasped, “And ruin the surprise?”

Octavia narrowed her eyes at him, “Just play the damn song.”

Jasper pressed something and there was a strange rumbling noise, an electronic buzz, a quiet build up to the high pitched synthetic sounds that came next. The music grew louder and a beat emerged, and for a moment Lincoln wanted to cover his ears against what seemed like a wall of noise. 

But then he shut his eyes and let himself hear all the components fitting together to create the song. The high sound, a repetitive series of notes that could still be jarring to the ear, but Lincoln revelled in the utter foreignness of it, he'd never heard anything like it. The size of the speakers sent the beat and the rumbling bass vibrating through his body, and he'd never _felt_ music like this either. The lyrics had started and Lincoln couldn't quite make out the words, but the sound of them fit in with that electronic buzz, ever present, shifting in pitch and layered throughout the song.

When he opened his eyes again to see Octavia dancing to the music, he was sold. Her petite body moving to the beat, all rolling hips and arms above her head, her curtain of dark hair swaying. Her eyes were open and she was staring at Lincoln with a wicked smile. Heat immediately flushed through him. 

To his right, Jasper snorted, and when Lincoln glanced at him, the younger man wore a look of fond exasperation at Octavia's antics. He had come a long way from the boy who'd shamelessly ogled her and gotten a spear through his chest whilst trying to impress her. No, Lincoln thought, now they were family. 

His blood boiling with want for his _niron_ , Lincoln stalked over to grip her hips. She continued to move them, drawing him into the beat.

“You're gonna like dancing with me,” She murmured into his ear, sending shivers down his spine. “I _promise._ ”

Lincoln had no doubt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Trigedasleng words:**
> 
>  
> 
>  _hapotei_ \- I couldn't find a word for birthday, but this means 'happy birthday' according to the online dictionary, so that's as close as I could get.
> 
>  _yongon_ \- child
> 
>  _niron_ \- lover
> 
>  
> 
> **Music**
> 
>  
> 
> Lincoln's first experience of what Skaikru consider music: _Time to Pretend_ \- MGMT


	3. Jasper

The mash was already bubbling and the pipe dripping moonshine when Jasper found Monty squirrelled away at his still. They'd sat and done this together so many times, but Jasper could never get too close, which he figured was perfectly understandable. Monty's apparent calmness in the face of an open flame and a high concentration of alcohol was insanity.

“I can hear you freaking out and it's freaking me out.” Monty muttered, eyes fixed on the tube where the vapour was liquidising again, and ignoring the open flame.

“I freaked out the first time, okay? That was the only time.” In all fairness, he was just concerned. About himself, naturally, but about Monty too, who wouldn't just get his eyebrows singed if the tank decided it couldn't take the heat. 

Monty looked up at him then, smirking, “Okay then, quit it with your “mild concern”, it's all good. This'll be a good batch.”

Having your best friend supply the alcohol for a party was one thing, him saying things like that just wasn't fair. 

“You'll have to let me know.” Monty frowned up at him, puzzled. “I won't be drinking. I wanted to DJ, so...”

“That's... That's pretty great, man.” Jasper smiled gratefully at his friend's understanding and support.

“Yeah, Raven thinks so.”

Monty was smirking again and giving him the raised eyebrow treatment, “Raven, huh?”

“Yeah she's doing good too.” Jasper decided to ignore Monty's silent insinuations. There was nothing _happening_ between Raven and himself. He wouldn't say he hadn't thought about it. Raven was insanely gorgeous, he'd like to see anyone say otherwise, and she was a frakkin' genius. She was funny and fierce and brave and- _Oh, shit_. Jasper swallowed, hoping his internal epiphany and his racing heart wasn't showing on his face. “We just talk sometimes, about... our shit.”

“Mmm hmm.” Monty was still smiling, the shit. Jasper's mind was still reeling over Raven, and the time they'd spent together AA (After ALIE, in his head.). Even the time with her during the ALIE crisis. He was mentally reviewing all those moments with her, wondering when things might have changed between them. _If_ things might have changed. He could've lied to himself and said that he didn't know what he was feeling. But he had loved Mya. Loved her still, always would, but that wouldn't stop him from trying to move on. All he knew was he liked Raven Reyes very much, and liked that they were spending almost all of their time together. They had bonded over their experiences with ALIE, and the things that they had to struggle to not let break them. The challenges they faced to just get through the day. Raven understood. 

Jasper cleared his throat, ready to change the subject. “So rumour has it you aren't just brewing the requisite amount for this party, right?”

Monty looked up at him with an expression that said _seriously?_ “Dude, you _started_ that rumour! You and _Raven_.” He wiggled his eyebrows at that last. 

“Only because I know you're my man, and that you're already way ahead of me here, aren't you?”

“Of course.” Jasper leaned down for a fist bump, which Monty returned gladly. He was just as glad to have a fairly happy, sober version of his best friend back, just as happy as Jasper was to have Monty back. 

“So extra booze for all our guys. Well, except me.” Jasper gave a small self-deprecating smile. 

“As long as they're discreet about it and don't go spreading it around so half the camp knows.” 

“Got it. Though I'm guessing that'll get harder the drunker everyone is.”

“There won't be a never ending supply, and once it's gone it's gone. Trusting people to share enough to get happily buzzed: drunk, but not throwing up and paralytic. Trying to slip under the radar here.”

“Covert ops, I'm your guy.” 

Monty smiled, shaking his head. “I've known you my whole life. Covert is not how I'd describe you.”

“Sucks really...” Jasper mused, ignoring Monty's “shining” display of confidence in him, “The DJ booth would be the perfect place to put the extra booze. People could come up under the pretence of asking for songs.”

“That is... actually a really god idea.”

“Yeah but _I'm_ the DJ. You trust me with the booze? I don't trust me.”

“You've been sober for a month, man. You're coming through it. So yeah, call me an idiot, but yeah I'd say I do trust you.”

Jasper stared at him, finding a lump of emotion in his throat. He didn't deserve this trust, this forgiveness, especially from Monty. His friend looked up from his still to see whatever undecided, self-loathing, expression Jasper had on his face.

“Yeah, yeah, I know, you don't deserve me.” Monty said, with a smile and a wink. Jasper smiled, weakly. “Seriously, man, don't stress about it. Go talk to Raven, see what she thinks.” Monty said it seriously, no teasing or suggestive looks. 

“Okay, yeah, I will. Thanks, man.” Monty smiled and nodded. There was silence for a moment, and Jasper just took a moment to breathe and think, watching Monty with his now fairly full jar of moonshine. Then he decided to get his own back.

“So how's it going with Harper?”


	4. Abby

She couldn't say the moonshine was smooth (was it ever?) but each sip seemed to go down a little easier and warmed her inside. Unless that feeling was because of the man stood next to her, pressed against her side. Abby wondered,fighting the urge to giggle, when he'd work up the courage to put his arm around her. It really was quite funny, the things they could do to each other in the privacy of their own room, their own bed, yet still continue this dance of flitting around each other in public, all lingering glances and brushes of hands. 

Everyone knew about them, and Abby was sure they were all no doubt amused by their shyness. They weren't shy, Abby told herself, not so subtly looking Marcus up and down. Oh no, Marcus Kane was definitely not shy with her anymore, and maybe if they weren't co-leaders of Skaikru they wouldn't feel the need to be so reserved, so intent on putting their roles and responsibilities first. Which is why tonight, Abby thought, nursing her glass (she could have sworn she'd drank more than that?), could be their reprieve. 

Perhaps Marcus had the same train of thought, because he snaked the arm that had been squeezed between them around her waist and pulled her flush against him. Abby steadied herself against his chest and looked up to see happiness and contentment in his smile.

“This was a great idea.” 

He nodded out back in the direction of the dance floor where their people (mostly the teens) moved and jumped and spun, laughing or shouting the lyrics at each other. “They look free.”

Abby looked at Clarke, smiling and dancing with Bellamy, Raven, Monty, Harper, Brian and Miller. Every now and then all of them would turn and point and sing to Jasper, dancing alone at the DJ stand. Abby felt emotion swell in her chest to see her daughter's smile again, to see her long blonde hair flipping around as she bobbed her head, sometimes closing her eyes and giving herself entirely to the music. Marcus was right, she was free.

Though Octavia and Lincoln seemed to be taking liberties with the amount of freedom granted to them all tonight. 

“Does that even constitute as dancing?” Abby leaned up to speak into his ear in order to be heard over the music, nodding over to where Octavia and Lincoln were making a decent (or rather _in_ decent) attempt at having sex whilst being vertical and fully clothed on the dance floor.

“I doubt it, but it looks like fun.” Came Marcus' answering rumble, lips at her own ear, beard scratching at the sensitive skin beneath. He downed his drink and set it on the bar, hands going to her hips, and Abby suddenly fiercely envied those kids and their lack of inhibition. She felt giddy and once again had to wonder just how much of it was down to alcohol, and how much was Marcus and the fact that he was wearing a short sleeved t shirt that showed off his biceps _perfectly_. She let her hand drift up to touch his arm exactly where her eyes had landed, and looked up to his face instead, to find him already staring at her lips. If she kissed him right now she wouldn't be able to stop -

Abby's head whipped over to the dance floor, eyes wide in disbelief.

“Abby?” Marcus' tone was concerned. The _music_. Oh, God, she hadn't heard this song in years! It had been so long and she felt her chest ache with nostalgia and longing and the bitter sweet memories playing like a slide show in her head. This couldn't be a coincidence, could it-?

“Mom!” And there she was, her daughter, beaming and waving her over to the dance floor. “Come on, you have to!”

Yes, she did have to, for old times sake. She was smiling too, now, as she turned back to Marcus and gave him a quick kiss, letting him know she was okay.

“It's our song.” She explained, still smiling, “Mine and Clarke's.”

He breathed a little laugh, looking at her with such affection, then looking out to the floor where Clarke was waiting, with the same expression on his face.

“Go, then, she's waiting!” Abby turned and ran into the throng of people and Clarke jumped into her arms. Abby squeezed her tight, feeling so happy that a couple of tears escaped. 

“I can't believe he found it!” Clarke was saying. They drew back and Clarke's face was pure excitement, “I asked Jasper to see if he could find this when he was looking through all the music we have to make his playlist. I wanted to dance with you to our song again!”

Clarke had done this for them. She'd wanted a moment for just the two of them, even as they were surrounded by people, and Abby felt overwhelmed. She settled for stroking a hand over Clarke's cheek, smiling at her with all her love, then grabbed her hands.

“Let's dance, then, sweetheart.”

They spun each other around with their joined hands, jumped, skipped and jived. They were dancing with no style, no finesse, but they didn't care because time had fallen away. The way Clarke was smiling at her now, all teeth, sparkling blue eyes and loosely braided blonde hair, she could've been seven years old again, young and carefree and dancing to the song she insisted was _theirs._

_“Mom, let's dance!”_ The words were echoing down the years to this very moment, and even after everything they'd lost, Abby thought, they still had this.

She knew she was still crying a little, even as she was smiling, but Clarke must have understood, her own tears shining in her eyes as she tugged Abby in for another hug, rocking to the music. Abby cursed herself for being so overemotional whenever she drank.

“I know, mom.” Clarke's voice told her she was lost in her own memories.

“Ugh, I'm a mess.” Abby muttered into Clarke's hair. Clarke pulled back, kissed her forehead and wiped her thumbs over Abby's wet cheeks.

“You're a beautiful mess, mom.”

They carried on dancing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Music**
> 
>  
> 
> Lincoln and Octavia on the dance floor: _Midnight City_ \- M83
> 
> Abby and Clarke's song: _Girls Just Wanna Have Fun_ \- Cyndi Lauper


	5. Raven

Her hip gave her limitations, she knew, but like hell was it going to stop her from dancing. She couldn't remember the last time she'd smiled or laughed so much at the boys and some of their ridiculous dancing. But she knew just by looking at her friends faces, they all felt freer than they had in a long time. For Raven, probably not since the moment she stepped out of her pod, breathed in Earth's air, and felt the rain for the first time. She imagined those still left from their original group felt the same. It all went to shit pretty quickly.

She let Bellamy and Monty spin her around, Bellamy catching her when she almost lost her balance. 

“Damn, that was smooth.” She yelled at him over the music, giving him a smile and a wink. He rolled his eyes with affection, and nudged her back towards Monty. 

When a certain song came on she started laughing and shimmied her way over to Clarke, crowding in close, to see what she'd do. Raven grinned, raised her arms and danced up against her. Clarke gave her a smirk that seemed to say _challenge accepted_ and turned around, pressing her back against Raven and rolling her hips. Raven let out whoop of laughter and heard Clarke laughing in front of her too, as the people around them (mostly the boys) wolf whistled. Abby was watching the whole scene unfold with a raised eyebrow and pursed lips that suggested was trying to stop herself from laughing too.

Clarke turned back round with a grin, still dancing close,

“Best offer I've had so far.”

“The night is young.” Raven winked. She looked up to see if Abby was watching them, but Jackson had actually pulled her into a dance. Raven fished out a bottle hidden inside her jacket and topped up the cup of a not remotely surprised Clarke. “Cheers!” She said, taking a swig of the bottle, and pulling a face. “People keep saying this stuff gets easier to drink if you keep going, but ugh!”

Clarke, having sipped her own drink, shrugged, “It's going down better for me.”

Raven shook her head. A twinge of pain in her hip made her wince.

“You okay?” Clarke asked, reaching out to touch her arm.

“I'm good, just need to take a break. I'll go check in with our teetotaller.”

When she reached Jasper's booth, he had his goggles on and was nodding his head enthusiastically to the music. She tried to peek around to look at the screen set up in front of him, as she'd done several times already that evening.

“Whoah, hey, come on, I told you, not gonna happen!” Jasper whipped the goggles off and mock glared at her, “You'll ruin the surprise! And I might even have a surprise for you on there, you never know.”

“Oh well, now you've said that, I'm just gonna get even worse.”

“Not possible.” 

“Mean!” 

“Yeah but you're mean too, don't think I didn't see you sneaking around behind the bar and topping up Kane and Abby's drinks.”

“Stealth, my friend.” Raven reached for the much larger bottle than she'd been carrying, hidden behind the front of Jasper's stall, filled up her bottle and took another swig. “You doing okay with this?”

Jasper smiled at her and nodded, “The music's a good distraction. I'm in my music zone.”

Raven felt a swell of affection and pride. “Good, that's great. Stay in the zone.” She hesitated, “Proud of you.”

Jasper was clearly touched by her words, the smile he gave her was full of wonderment and gratitude. They stared at each other for a moment and Raven felt warm. She put it down to the moonshine, having not remotely kept track of how much she was drinking. She felt the need to break the moment, whatever it was.

“So speaking of my slightly frightening ability to slip things into people's cups without them noticing...” Jasper laughed, and the tension immediately diffused, “Do you think Abby's drunk?”

They looked out at the dance floor to where Clarke and Abby continued to dance.

“Can't tell. She and Kane have been making moon eyes at each other since... Well always, actually. I've decided that's the only reason Kane's not noticed the magic, never-ending glass of booze. ”

Raven nodded, scanning the crowd, “Yeah, you're probably right.” She saw Abby dart from her daughters side and cross over to where Kane still leaned against the bar, and they talked and smiled giddily for about half a minute, Abby's hands gesturing a lot. Then she took a large gulp from her mysteriously full glass (not that she noticed) and kissed Kane hard for a moment. She probably would have continued to for longer, had Kane not broken the kiss and given her a playful little nudge and a nod back towards the dance floor, back towards Clarke. Abby squeezed his hand, and their hold on each other only broke once Abby was out of his reach. “The bet is to get them playing tonsil hockey on the _dance floor_ remember? This doesn't count. That was a peck.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know the rules. Now scram, Reyes.” Jasper nudged her shoulder, “I'm kicking you out my booth. Go dance.”

Raven narrowed her eyes, “Why, what're you up to?”

“Nothing, you just gotta go dance.”

Raven smiled, “Will I like the next song?”

“Maaaaaybe.”

Still smiling Raven turned and started making her way back to the dance floor. “Stay in the zone!”

As soon as she made it to the middle of the floor, surrounded by sweaty, moving bodies, she heard the rapid succession of the opening power chords and let out a loud whoop of delight, looking back towards the stage she saw Jasper returning her grin and she pointed at him,

“My guy!” If possible Raven smiled wider, “That's more like it!” 

People were staring bemusedly, but she didn't care. Moving to the electric guitar and drum beat, she used the finger she'd pointed at Jasper, and crooked it, beckoning him to her. With a shake of his head that was more _why the hell not_ , than an refusal, he left his booth.

He bounded over and immediately joined her in the 'head banging, jumping, spinning, and throwing your body around' style of dancing she had adopted; like she was completely lost in the music. But once he was next to her,she drew him in closer, taking his hands. Exhilaration and appreciation were written all over her flushed face.

“We love this song!” Her head was spinning. Alcohol: forever encouraging her to state the obvious. Embarrassment didn't emerge, because Jasper wrapped an arm around her waist, their bodies knocking and jostling as they threw themselves into the music. It was one of the best things about the time she spent with Jasper, they'd both found they shared a great love of music, particularly of the rock or punk variaty.

“I know!” He shouted back, so she could hear him, “Had to be done!”

Raven laughed, brought their clasped hands over her head, fist pumping the air as they jumped, and the last few minutes of the song were spent screaming the lyrics at each other, between breathless smiling.

Until, as the song ended, Raven's knee buckled, and Jasper, as he'd already been holding her, kept her from going down and pulled her back up flush against him, one hand holding the back of her injured thigh, pressing it, bent at the knee, into his hip. Raven breathed sharply, not because of the pain, she was used to that, but Jasper was holding her, touching her, in a way he never had before. And the way he was holding her up, and she clinging to him (she only just realised), with her hands around his shoulders, was doing all sort of pleasant things to her body. She could blame the alcohol, but she knew it wasn't that.

“You okay?” Was it her, or did he sound effected too? He was wasn't that scrawny kid that came down with the hundred anymore. Life on Earth had made him stronger, and oh, Raven could very much feel that as she held on to his arms. She tried to calm the fluttering in her chest at the warm, solid feel of his body. But then she met his eyes and found him gazing at her, eyes dark, flicking over her face, her _lips._

“My hero.” She whispered, smiling and trying to lighten the moment. She was pretty sure the spark between them had blind sided them both. Jasper smiled sadly, though.

“I'm no one's hero, Raven.”

“Shut up, of course you are. You got me away from ALIE and Arkadia. You helped get me out of there. You forgave me for all the shit I did and said-”

“You weren't yourself.”

“I know. We're all telling ourselves that, but we still blame ourselves, don't we.”

“Yeah.”

She drew him into a proper hug and he held her just as tightly. Perhaps it was Dutch courage, but she let herself press a small kiss the side of his neck.

“I don't deserve-” He started.

“Yeah, well, you got it!” She smiled again when they broke up. “Don't cry, you'll ruin the party.”

Jasper finally grinned again. “Can't be having that. Speaking of I should check on...” He jerked his thumb in the general direction of the DJ stall.

“Yeah.” Raven began walking, testing the range of her leg, “Hey! Thanks for the dance!”

He held up a hand as he walked away, with his index and little finger extended: _rock on._

She wandered over to a large group of women dominating the dance floor and screaming out lyrics in what Raven found was an oddly fierce manner, so naturally she joined in. About half way through the song, after trying to assess Abby Griffin's sobriety, she chanced a glance over to the bar at Abby's other half. What she saw made her stifle a laugh. 

She drew up close to Abby and leaned in to whisper in her ear, “Kane looks like he wants to eat you alive.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Music**
> 
>  
> 
> In which Raven propositions Clarke: _Toxic_ \- Britney Spears
> 
> Jasper and Raven's song: _Cherry Bomb_ \- The Runaways
> 
> Girls singing: _Titanium_ \- David Guetta ft. Sia


	6. Marcus

Marcus knew he was staring, but fuck it, he didn't care. Abby was smiling and laughing and dancing with her daughter, and he felt like his heart was going to burst with the joy of seeing her like that. Then there was the way she was moving (his eyes were drawn to her hips in particular); the way the black top she was wearing hugged her curves and exposed more skin than usual; the way her hair fell in soft waves and swayed when she moved her head to the music. She was so beautiful and he'd never been so utterly entranced by her in a place that wasn't their bedroom. 

In a place where other people were there to witness whatever expression was currently on his face. A fact made all too apparent to him when he saw Raven leaning close and saying something to Abby, grinning and glancing his way. Abby turned then, too, smiling delightedly in a way that still took his breath away and sent his pulse racing. When she started dancing her way towards him, he couldn't stop himself from smiling too, probably looking hopelessly lovestruck and turned on. Somewhere Raven Reyes was laughing at him, but he wasn't about to tear his eyes away from Abby as she came within reaching distance and took his hands in hers, tugging him back the way she came.

“No... Abby, come on.” Though he was still smiling and she was still coaxing him towards her, walking backwards, and despite his weak protests he was helpless to resist her. Abby moved her shoulders to the music and circled her hips, a look of satisfaction grew on her face as he followed her. She seemed to revel in the feeling of Marcus' eyes on her, wanting her. He bit his lip and Abby's eyes darkened a little. 

She moved their joined hands back and forth between them, encouraging him into the upbeat song, and he huffed a laugh, feeling ridiculous. She started singing, knowing only he could hear her over the music and the crowd. 

When they reached the dance floor (to whoops and cheers of “Yeah, Kane!” and “Lead by example, Chancellor!” prompting laughter), Marcus and Abby ignored everyone else, and Abby linked her arms loosely around his shoulders,

 _“When I am with you there's no place I'd rather be._ ” She sang to him, looking him in the eye. Hers were bright and twinkling, and the last of Marcus' resistance melted. He held her hips, tugging her an inch closer, and they shared a grin. She drew them further into the crowd, eyes locked on his, and he tried to follow and respond to the rhythm of her body. He wouldn't be overly bragging to say that was something he usually excelled at in bed with her. He moved a little awkwardly at first, self-concious, especially when they reached their destination and Abby was dancing amongst her daughter and her friends once more. But when Marcus saw the expressions of the kids around him, his kids, ranging from amused, to sympathetic, to smirking and head-shaking, to honest to God pleased, happy and moved, he couldn't help but relax in Abby's familiar, loving arms. 

From there, after his initial hesitation, Marcus found he loved the unreserved joy of it. Everyone else was letting go and dancing like no one was watching, so he could too. It mostly involved holding on to Abby and responding to her movements. Her skin was flushed, he could see a thin sheen of sweat on her shoulders and chest, and his mouth watered when he thought of licking it off.  
When she turned around and pushed her back to meet his chest, dancing and brushing against him, he nearly had a heart attack, but retained just enough brainpower to tilt his hips away from her. He'd always known Abby Griffin would be the death of him.

She leaned her head back on his shoulder to look at him with mischievous eyes that said she knew exactly what she was doing to him. A hand came up and tangled in his hair and he almost groaned, his own hands creeping up her waist in retaliation – Dear God, they were as bad as Lincoln and Octavia - 

The music abruptly changed, and Elvis Presley snapped them out of the lust filled haze that had descended like a fog around them. Marcus felt embarrassment creep up on him when he remembered Clarke was only a couple of feet away, determinedly not looking at them. But Abby couldn't stop a laugh from escaping, and the two of them recovered rather quickly, in Marcus' opinion. She grabbed his hand and spun out of his arms, and then let him pull her back in. 

“Oh, I want a piece of this!” Raven laughed, bouncing over, “C'mon, Abby, share!”

Abby looked up at him, raised her eyebrows in question, though there was amusement on her lips.

“If sir would allow me to cut in?” Nathan Miller said, bowing ostentatiously and holding his hand out to Abby, trying to keep a straight face. There were titters of laugher surrounding them. Abby gave Marcus a quick parting kiss (prompting _oohs_ , and sighs, and gagging noises in equal measure), then let Miller twirl her away. Raven took Marcus' hand, he followed her lead, and together they engaged in what was probably the worst jitterbug in history. It was more throwing in random moves, falling over each other's feet, and cracking up constantly than anything else, but Marcus kept her steady, should her hip give her trouble. He spun her under his arm,

“I wasn't sure who would burst into flame on the spot, you or her.” Marcus had known this was coming, she gave him a cheeky grin, “The way you were looking at her earlier? By the bar? Damn, that was hot.”

A small smile appeared against his will, “Yeah, okay, get it out of your system, I figured you'd say something eventually.”

“Looked like you needed to get it out of _your_ system.” Marcus snorted, but he was probably blushing. “Hey, Kane,” He looked back up at her suddenly serious tone, “Thanks for letting us do this.”

He softened, “It was a good idea, Raven.” Her smile grew genuine for a moment, until the sass returned.

“Still, you two crazy kids leave room for Jesus, there's another Griffin out here that doesn't need to see that.”

Before he could formulate a response he found himself switching partners again and, at Octavia's demand, spun her around the dance floor too, just as he had Raven. He didn't think he'd ever seen the youngest Blake smile so much and her joy was infectious.

“Lincoln's teaching Abby a traditional dance of Trikru.” She said.

Marcus raised an eyebrow, “I really hope it's not the dance you were doing with him earlier.”

Octavia wasn't even embarrassed, just barked out a laugh and twirled away from him, their arms extended,

“No, that's my own special dance I made up just for him.” She grinned when she was tucked under his arm again.

“I'd gathered.”

When he finally had Abby back in his arms, she took his hand and pulled him away from the dancing and over to a secluded corner near the bar. 

“Hey, you okay?” She didn't respond until she must have decided they had some privacy, then turned and buried her face in his chest, her arms winding around him tightly. “Abby?”

He automatically returned the embrace but when he heard a little sob, worry started to rise in him. Before he could question her again, she looked up at him, smiling through her tears,

“It's okay. I'm okay. I always get like this.”

 _Always?_ She was loose limbed against him, her speech slow and slurred just a touch, “Babe, are you drunk?”

She turned red and hid her face back in his shirt, “Maybe.”

Marcus couldn't help but laugh,. He knew he himself wasn't altogether sober, but it had just allowed him to relax and dance with the kids. In his vague memories of their underage drinking years, he only remembered a silly, clumsy drunk Abby. But then he supposed there was a lot more to get emotional about now. “After all that with Raven, Jasper and Monty.”

“Raven is worse than I am.”

“I'm sure.” He placated, running a hand through her hair. 

She shifted and reached up for him. Marcus met her lips, not caring that it was wet and messy. He could taste the salt of her tears. They kissed slowly but deeply, it felt like Abby was trying to drink him in, consume him, and he would willingly let her. Her hands twisted and played in his hair, whilst he desperately tried to keep his own from wandering inappropriately. 

When she broke the kiss to murmur, “I love you so much.” Marcus felt tears prickling his own eyes, and had to blink to clear them. He held her face and kissed her forehead reverently, “Love you too.”

“And Clarke!” She abruptly spun around and leaned back against him, looking out at the crowd, “I love Clarke!” 

“You're adorable.” He teased, arms encircling her again from behind, and scanning the dance floor for Clarke's blonde hair, spotting her between Octavia and Raven; a large group of kids singing and swaying in a circle. 

“Shut up.” Abby said, petulantly, squirming in his hold. 

“Or what? You'll cry on me some more?”

He felt her body shaking as she let out a delightful peal of giggles that rang out, overlapping the kid's singing, horribly off key in the way only the truly drunk could be, as the song faded out. When the next song started, a loud groan went up from half of the dancers just as the other half cheered. It was a piano playing a familiar four chord introduction.

Somewhere there was a shout of, “Jasper! Why Journey?! _Whyyyy?_ ”

“Because fuck you, that's why!” came the response from the DJ booth. 

Marcus muffled his laughter in Abby's hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Music**
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> Abby gets Marcus to dance: _Rather Be_ \- Clean Bandit
> 
> Abby and Marcus' dancing heats up: _Supermassive Black Hole_ \- Muse
> 
> Marcus twirls the girls around the dancefloor: _Hound Dog_ \- Elvis Presley, and _I Want You Back_ \- Jackson 5
> 
> The Delinquents sing together: _We Are Young_ \- Fun
> 
> And obviously _Don't Stop Believing_ \- Journey


	7. Clarke

Clarke was drunk. She knew it, she could admit it to herself. She mentally congratulated herself on her self-awareness. She wasn't _spectacularly_ drunk, but she knew she'd passed the point of tipsy a while ago. Well, she'd never pretended she wasn't a lightweight, she didn't have the drinking experience of people like Jasper and Monty, and therefore decided it was much more embarrassing that Monty was drunk off his own moonshine. 

Still, he looked pretty comfortable, practically asleep on his feet, with his head turned into Harper's neck, and Clarke thought it would be quite nice to have her own human cushion. Her first thought was her mom, but the music had taken a slow turn a minute ago, as the evening drew to a sleepy, inebriated end, and a glance across the dance floor told Clarke her mom wouldn't appreciate being interrupted right now. It wasn't anything inappropriate, in fact Clarke felt a bubble of emotion swell in her chest to see her mom smiling and swaying in Kane's arms. Besides, she figured she'd get reprimanded for drinking too much.

She turned to leave them to it, and walked smack into a hard chest, losing her balance, before familiar arms wrapped around her to stop her from falling on her drunken ass. 

“Whoa, Clarke!” She smiled up into Bellamy's amused face, “Graceful.” He deadpanned, “Just how much have you had to drink?”

Clarke made to reply, but only then realised that her throat was pretty sore. She assumed the reason was probably the screaming of power ballad lyrics not too long ago. She cleared her throat,

“Not as much as Monty, _mom._ ” Her voice sounded tired and a little rough. Bellamy made no comment of it, just glanced over her shoulder at the boy in question and snorted. He still held on to Clarke loosely, and he was warm and welcoming and safe, and Clarke snaked her own arms around his waist, resting her head on his shoulder with a contented sigh. 

She heard and felt Bellamy chuckle, and he tightened his hold on her a little, “Long night?” 

“Hmm.” She was tired, and drunk as established, and a little emotionally overwhelmed to feel the way she'd felt tonight. She couldn't remember the last time she'd just been _happy._ It was like, just for one night, Arkadia had become a bubble of sanctuary, where they couldn't be touched by anyone who would want to harm them, where there were no politics, no life or death survival situations one after another. Right now, in this moment with Bellamy, she could even forget the radiation and the ticking clock. 

“A good night.” She said, “This was such a good idea, Bellamy.” She looked up at him now, wanting him to really feel her words, and everything she wasn't saying. _We don't get moments like this; we don't get respites._

“Speak for yourself, I've been kind of traumatised by some of my little sister's dancing.”

Clarke couldn't help it, she burst out laughing, “Yeah, she's not shy, I'll give her that.” Bellamy groaned, bowing his own head to rest briefly on her shoulder. He made a muffled noise that seemed to be a mix of frustration and resignation. Clarke petted the back of his head, absentmindedly.

“Aw come on.” She consoled, “Okay, they were pretty, um, into the music-”

Bellamy whipped his head up again, skeptical, “Oh, yeah, it was the _music_ they were into.” 

“If it was _that_ inappropriate, you would've gone over there and punched Lincoln or something.”

“Punched Lincoln? Speaking as someone who _has_ fought him, I don't want to have to do that if I can avoid it.”

Clarke rolled her eyes, “And that was the reason? Cause you didn't wanna get your ass kicked?”

“Hey, I didn't say that!” She smirked at his predictable response, but then he sighed, “I'm just... I'm not gonna do that jackass older brother thing and ruin the party and upset Octavia. Trying not to do that whole acting like I own her and have to protect her virtue. She can protect herself.”

Clarke felt pride and deep affection for how far he'd come. She squeezed his waist, “Aw, you're a good brother.”

Bellamy snorted again, shrugging off the compliment, “And you're so drunk.”

“You're still a good brother. And a good person.” She stated, as though that was the final say on the matter. There was no oncoming retort, so Clarke hoped that meant he'd taken her words to heart. She started shuffling her feet and swaying to the music, hands settling on Bellamy's hips to try and get him moving.

“Seriously? No.” 

“Oh, come on! I saw you dancing earlier, even though you were trying so hard not to. You danced with Octavia, and I know that's because she's Octavia. Shuffle around with me for a bit, please?” The beginnings of a smile were twitching at Bellamy''s mouth. “Shuffle dance!” Clarke announced, and he lost control of his laughter. “You and Miller have made an art out of air drumming, I have to say.”

He had to be at least a little tipsy, because she was sure she'd never seen him practically _giggle_ until he ran out of air, “Stop.”

She smiled in achievement and for a moment they simply shifted and rotated slowly on the spot, Clarke found herself giving an excessive amount of concentration to not tripping over herself or her dance partner, until she caught sight of her mom and Kane again. 

Hooking her chin over Bellamy's shoulder, Clarke watched them. They were much the same as when she'd last glanced over, her mom had her arms around Kane's neck, hands playing with the curling ends of hair at his nape. His were wound loosely around her waist, so they could still pretend they were dancing rather than just gazing intently into each other's eyes. Whatever was passing unsaid between them, Clarke almost felt ashamed to be watching in on their private moment. But her mom was smiling, somehow tender and passionate at the same time. Clarke saw her eyes were shining in the glow of the fairy lights, and knew her mom was feeling emotional too. It only occurred to her just then, exactly how much had her own _mother_ had to drink? 

In hindsight, they'd both been way more open to the dancing and having fun than Clarke had thought. She thought she'd have to drag her out onto the dance floor, even as their song was playing. And _oh, their song!_ Clarke hadn't heard that in forever. And she herself had felt like crying too, even as she laughed and they twirled each other around, like they'd done together when Clarke was much younger. When her dad would watch them with an amused yet fond expression, but always vocal in his encouragement and praise for his two favourite girls. There had been no father cheering in the background tonight, but she had the laugher and shouts of joy from all the people she loved most down here on Earth. The family she'd made.

Kane must have noticed that her mom had shed a couple tears at that point, and Clarke watched him cup her face, ducking down to look her in the eye properly. She nudged her head against Bellamy's,

“Well, if they start making out I'll be traumatised too, you won't be alone.” He glanced over in the direction she was indicating, and she watched, entranced, as a wistful smile graced his face. She found herself following suit as Kane kissed away her mother's tears and her answering smile was radiant. Clarke's chest tightened, “I'm so happy she's happy.” 

“Oh dear, are we an emotional drunk, princess?” The nickname struck her like a physical blow for a moment, remembering the last time she'd heard it. The filter that usually kept those memories, and all the pain since then, in check failing as the drink continued to make her head spin. It was all too much. Bellamy went rigid and she knew he regretted saying it,

“Clarke... I'm sorry.”

“It's fine.”

“It just slipped out.”

“I know.” The mess of her emotions finally spilled over; Clarke hugged Bellamy tightly to prevent him from seeing her tears and listened to the music.

_Faith has been broken. Tears must be cried. Let's do some living, after we die._

Across the dance floor, Kane kissed her mother sweetly, then nuzzled her cheek, bringing his mouth to her ear. Clarke imagined she heard him say,

_Wild horses couldn't drag me away._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Music**
> 
> _Wild Horses_ \- The Rolling Stones


	8. Jasper's Playlist

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who might be interested, here is the playlist I came up with in it's entirety. I spent a lot of time thinking about what should go on here. Obviously it's influenced by my own personal taste, but I took into account two main things: the sound/themes of the show, and music that I would hope or think might stand the test of time that it would be known to the people of the Ark. I hope the songs fit.

_Shake It Out_ – Florence and the Machine  
 _Let's Dance_ – David Bowie  
 _Time to Pretend_ – MGMT  
 _Midnight City_ – M83   
_Girls Just Wanna Have Fun_ – Cyndi Lauper   
_Toxic_ – Britney Spears  
 _Pompeii_ \- Bastille  
 _Cherry Bomb_ – The Runaways  
 _Titanium_ – David Guetta ft. Sia   
_Rather Be_ – Clean Bandit  
 _Supermassive Black Hole_ \- Muse  
 _Hound Dog_ – Elvis Presley  
 _I Want You Back_ – Jackson 5  
 _Wake Me Up_ \- Avicii  
 _We Are Young_ – Fun  
 _Don't Stop Believing_ – Journey  
 _Say You Love Me_ – Jessie Ware  
 _Wild Horses_ – The Rolling Stones

Bonus: _The Safety Dance_ – Sleeping At Last


End file.
